Given sends three in the G1 Charlestown Classic

Pennsylvania (PA) Saturday, April 12, 2025 — 2:30:00 PM EST | Race ID : 3501529
Charles Town Classic
Grade I / Group 1*CPU – Purse : $750,000
Restricted to 4-year-olds and Older
9 Furlongs | ~1800 Meters | One Mile and and One Eighth

Welcome to the 2025 running of the Charlestown Classic.

Last year’s race was won by 17-1 shot trained by Frankster

Who is the son of Tapit named “Take the Cannolis” who returns

to defend his title once again  He will break from post thirteen today.

Let’s meet the field.

1	DERRY CHURCH  15-1    Trainer: Xpansion93

TWIRLING CANDY x AMERICAN PHAROAH x KINGMAMBO

This Twirling Candy off the pace runner has put in some good efforts, including

two G2 wins in the Swamp Stakes and the Scrubs, both ran in California, posting

speed ratings of 109 and an impressive 116. Last out in the G3 Town Of Tokyo, he broke

slowly and then came with a strong belated rally to finish third, beaten 2.75 lengths.

His only G1 event came in the Travelers, where he was soundly beaten that day.

2	MAXIMALLY MOLDED  6-1   Trainer: Bedazzle1

      JUSTIFY x CURLIN x SEATTLE SLEW

This 5yo son of Justify comes into the race looking for his fifth graded victory.

He has won G1s such as the “Hit Me Handicap”(120) and the “Goody Good”(115).

Two back, it ran a bang-up race in the Itch tribute race, posting a solid 116. He was then

Wheeled back quickly in the “Glen Kegasus where it failed to fire, finishing far back.

Connections did the right thing by bringing this one back off a ten-week freshening for

this event.

3	HOLLYWOOD ACTOR   9-1   Trainer: Autumnridge

SKY MESA x STREET SENSE x PLEASANT COLONY

This one makes his twenty-third career start, which is the most seasoned

veteran in the field.  He comes off an impressive win in the “Town of Tokyo”.

Hollywood Actor won that G3 race on just fourteen days’ rest.  We see

many start with less than thirty days of rest, and we question if this one has anything

left to give, especially in a G1.

4	IMMORTALITY MEDIUM   15-1   Trainer:

   NADAL x CARPE DIEM x MEDAGLIA D’ORO

Amir saddles this 4yo son of Nadal. This one was impressive as a 2yo

winning the G1 Independence Day and the G1 Movieland Futurity.

His highest figure came in the G2 Scrub stakes(115) in his 4yo debut.

We must note he is winless in his last seven starts since turning three.

We feel this one has more to give. Contender here.

5	MY MESSIAH   12-1   Trainer: Worldclass19

 CURLIN x A.P. INDY x KRIS S.

This 4yo son of Curlin shocked the state of West Virginia last out, winning the

 “The Itch Tribute” at odds of 26-1, posting a 116-peed figure, this time last

season, we saw impressive back-to-back wins in the G2 Buckeye Derby and

The G1 Eddie Haskell stakes. This one is in sharp form and could repeat.

6	MALAK BILACC  13-1   Trainer: Kymar12

NOT THIS TIME x QUALITY ROAD x UNCLE MO

This one won the G2 Silver Stakes back in September of 2024, which has

been its only graded victory. With speed figures of around 114, it would need to do more

to compete at this level. His only G1 appearance resulted in a 14th-place finish.

7	THE TIME TRAVELER   10-1   Trainer: Givengoosebumps

 NOT THIS TIME x SEATTLE SLEW x DANZIG

Dan the man is always dangerous in big-name events, and this race is no exception.

Trainer Given saddles three entrants this afternoon, and this one is the C option

in our opinion, despite taking heavy backing from the railbirds.  This one ran a career best

115 last out in an easy Allow1n prep race where it won by two lengths.  The strongest

win came in the G3   “Bluegrass Derby Trial Stakes” around this time last year.

We need to see this one run well at higher levels to be convinced.

8	WOETTE’S JUDGE  6-1   Trainer: Goldeneye

 TIZ THE LAW x MONTJEU x KINGMAMBO

Woette sends out this 5yo gelding by Tiz The Law. This one was on the Derby trail.

At age 3, to have those dreams dashed by an off-the-board finish in the Florida Derby.

It continued to struggle in graded events and only managed to win a single listed event.

And a few Allowance races. Back in September, Pascal decided to geld this animal and step it back up to graded company, resulting in a win in the G2 Lewis and Clark Stakes.

Last out in the G1 Glenn Kegasus, it ran a second-place finish (115). This one is peaking

at age 5, and could be right there again for the Woette barn.

9	STYLE WINNER   20-1   Trainer: Tenpoint18

GAME WINNER x CURLIN x WAR FRONT

This Tenpoint charge looks like an easy toss at first glance, but at 20-1, we see something that might materialize. Style winner looks like the only speed of the race with the only early challenge possibly coming from “Take the Cannolis”. At 20-1, you may be looking at the runner cutting all the fractions and will go as far as he can, playing catch me if you can.

A wire-to-wire threat at a large price.

10	SEATTLE GOLD FRONT    7-1  Trainer: dkstables26

WAR FRONT x SEEKING THE GOLD x SEATTLE SLEW

The impressive breeder Stockswami sends out this son of War Front.

We spotted the classic “in and out pattern” here, starting from a win in the listed.

Travis Bickel’s stakes, we see results looked like this from the bottom up:

Win, eleventh, win, eleventh, win, fifteenth, third.  If the pattern continues, it’s time

for another clunker. Let’s focus on some positives- it’s posted impressive speeds of:

120,119,119, including a 116 win recently in the G1 Bob Woodward Memorial. This one

looks like one of the real contenders in here despite our observations.

11	MARKING TIMES   12-1   Trainer: Given Covid

NOT THIS TIME x STREET SENSE x A.P. INDY

Here we come to the 2024 Given-trained Florida Derby Winner.

He caught an unlucky off track in the BB Derby, which may have taken away all chances.

Marking Times beat a few of these already in the  G1 Glenn Kegasus, where he defeated

Maximally Molded ,  Woette’s Judge and Extreme Etiquette, which we will get to in just a

bit.  Sharp handicappers have noticed  when Dan means business, he will often give a soft

allowance field as a springboard to a graded win. If Marking times can stay in peak condition, it could take the Charletown Classic.

12 ON THE UP AND OUT   15-1  Trainer: Astapor2

CURLIN x DANZIG x MR. PROSPECTOR

We come to another Given runner, a 4yo son of Culin, which is appearing to be peaking now at age 4. It has competed in seven G1s in a row, winning two of them. The Vermont is for Lovers and the Sterile Mile.  In its last two races, we see back-to-back 115 speed figures, making this an interesting option at a square price. Dan told us via telephone that. He brings three entrants to the Charlestown classic because they all stand on their own achievements, and he roots for all of them equally.

13	TAKE THE CANNOLIS   17-1  Trainer: Equistable

TAPIT x CANDY RIDE x DEPUTY MINISTER

We come to the defending champion who won this event last year.  He is winless

in five starts since then, and has appeared to lose a few steps. Its best recent figure is

a 108 in an allowed event on the turf. Could be part of the early pace, but we don’t know anything more than a minor placing at best. We speculate that a he-male breeding may be on the horizon.

14	EXTREME ETIQUETTE    5-1   Trainer: Appower

WAR FRONT x STREET CRY x GIANT’S CAUSEWAY

Mtk saddles this War Front son of the Hall of Fame mare Street Etiquette, who won

two million dollars on the racetrack and has been dominant in the breeding shed.

We see an impressive win in the G2 Insulin Cap and a close-up finish in the Kegasus.

As the favorite at 5-1 in here, the crowd thinks it’s only a matter of time before this one shows. It’s the best stuff in a G1 event. The last two speed figs have been 114 in G1 events, making this one a logical contender that may take the trophy. With the low odds, we will

Respectively, look elsewhere.

Sj’s Top Pick:  12 On The up and Out (my have you grown)

The Place Horse 2 Maximally Molded (impressive deep closer)

The Show Spot:  11 Marking Times (Last race was solid)

Live Longshot:  5 My Messiah (Itch is looking down)